The present invention relates to a rigid packet of cigarettes.
Known rigid packets are normally parallelepiped-shaped and comprise an inner wrapping of foil or paper wrapped about a group of cigarettes; and an outer wrapping in turn comprising a parallelepiped-shaped box normally formed from a blank with preformed bend lines, and a collar interposed between the box and the inner wrapping.
Packets of the above type are known, from Patent EP 317202, to be provided with respective magnetic tapes or media visible from the outside and for recording data unequivocally identifying the respective packets. In other words, the magnetic tape, or medium in general, constitutes, for the respective packet, a certificate of origin making counterfeiting of the packet extremely complicated and expensive.
One of the drawbacks of packets of the above type lies in the magnetic tape or medium being visible from the outside. That is to say, while not being made easier to counterfeit, the fact that the magnetic media are visible from the outside inevitably results in a relaxation of security measures, in the sense that distributors or retailers eventually simply check to determine the presence of the magnetic medium, as opposed to the data recorded on it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a packet of cigarettes having a data recording element with magnetic properties, and wherein said element with magnetic properties is not only invisible from the outside, but is also located in a precise, unalterable position on the packet.
According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid packet of cigarettes, comprising at least one outer wrapping about a group of cigarettes, and at least one means with magnetic properties; characterized in that said outer wrapping is made of multilayer cardboard of a given thickness; and said means with magnetic properties is located in a fixed position within the thickness of a wall of said outer wrapping.